Japan's Mitsui Group is ready to invest $4 billion in rail, airport, and shipping projects in Iran. Senior managers of Mitsui recently held talks with officials of the Iranian Transport and Urban Development Ministry in Tehran, the Mehr News Agency reported on Thursday.

Photo: Bushehr Port in southern Iran

Mitsui is one of the largest corporate groups in the world. Its scope of activity includes financial, real estate, retail, shipping, and logistics services.

In July 2013, Japanese Ambassador to Iran Koji Haneda said that his country was interested in fostering ties with Iran.

As a result of the anti-Iran sanctions imposed by the United States and other Western countries, the volume of Iran-Japan trade has declined over the past few years, the Japanese ambassador said, but noted that bilateral trade and Japan's oil imports from Iran are continuing.

He also said Japan still relies heavily on imports of Iranian oil, despite the Western pressure.